Easy opening flat object mailer

ABSTRACT

A mailer for small flat objects, adapted for insertion in an envelope, comprises a rectangular cardboard blank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into a pair of rectangular panels. One side of the blank is coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panels together when the blank is folded, the panels being readily pulled apart again. One corner of the blank is cut away along a convexly curved line leaving the corner of one of the folded panels projecting so that it may be pushed back exposing a small area of the under surface of the deformed corner for grasping the deformed corner for easy opening.

United States Patent Robert B. Shaad Birch Lane, Watertown, NY. 13601013,149

Feb. 20, 1970 May 25, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.804,817, Mar. 6, 1969, now abandoned.

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented EASY OPENING FLAT OBJECT MAILERPrimary Examiner-David M. Bockener An0rney--Bruns and Jenny ABSTRACT: Amailer for small flat objects, adapted for insertion in an envelope,comprises a rectangular cardboard blank having a scored median foldlinedividing the blank into a pair of rectangular panels. One side of theblank is coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding thepanels together when the blank is folded, the panels being readilypulled apart again. One comer of the blank is cut away along a convexlycurved line leaving the comer of one of the folded panels projecting sothat it may be pushed back exposing a small area of the under surface ofthe deformed comer for grasping the deformed comer for easy opening.

PATENTED was 1911 3 580 .490

INVENTOR. ROBERT B. SHAAD 6 4%: BY mania.

EASY OPENING FLAT OBJECT MAILER CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONSThis application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.804,817, filed Mar. 6, 1969, by the same applicant, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel flatobject mailer adapted to fit in a mailing envelope and, moreparticularly, it relates to a quickly used and easy opening mailer formerchandisers who, in the ordinary course of business, mail out a numberof small flat objects such as keys, coins, credit cards, and stamps.

Prior mailers either use thick board to provide a pocket or haveperforations or tabs for reopening the mailer. These are expensive tomanufacture, time consuming to use, or are difficult to reopen and areusually limited in use to one particular type and size of flat object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mailer of the present invention utilizes acommercially available board called Cohesive Board" which is made by theSherman Division of St. Regis Paper Company at Newton Upper Falls,Massachusetts. This board is cut into a rectangular blank with a scoredfoldline dividing the blank into substantially rectangular halves. Oneside of the board is precoated with a latex-type adhesive which is tackyto the touch but which not adhere to any surface except a likecoatedsurface. When the two halves of the blank are folded together along thefoldline with a flat object therebetween and the adhesive-coatedsurfaces are pressed together, the surfaces adhere holding the object inplace.

The other side of the board is calendered and-smooth so that the outersurfaces of the folded together halves can be printed with suchadvertising or other matter as is desired. The board is sufficientlyheavy to prevent the ready detection of the presence of the objectbetween the two halves by casual visual or manual inspection but is notexcessively thick like the usual coin card with a cutout pocket therein.

One of the characteristics of the adhesive with which the board iscoated is that the two halves can be parted again after they have beenstuck together. It is this characteristic, common to other rubber cementor pressure-sensitive adhesives, that is utilized in the novel easyopening feature of the mailer.

A small corner tip of the blank is cut away along a convexly curved linewhen forming the blank so that, when the blank is folded and its twohalves sealed together, the corner alongside the deformed cornerprojects beyond the deformed corner and can be pushed back to expose asmall area of the inner surface of the deformed comer so that it can begrasped for pulling the two halves apart and withdrawing the enclosedobject.

It has been theretofore known to mitre the comer of one of two layers ofpaper which are glued together, but this leaves only a straight edge ofthe deformed comer exposed when the corner next to the deformed comer ispushed back. By cutting the deformed comer along a convexly curved linea small area of the undersurface of the deformed comer is exposed whenthe comet next to the deformed corner is pushed back. This exposed areamay then be grasped to pull the halves apart.

When the tip of a comer is folded over it adheres to the remainder ofthe panel and leaves an uncoated portion which can be grasped in pullingthe halves apart. BRIEF BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is aperspective view of the folded mailer with enclosed coin according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unfolded blank; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end edge view of the folded mailer of FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The mailer blank 10 is shownunfolded in FIG. 2 with a median scored foldline I1 dividing the blankinto panels or halves l2 and 13. The inner surfaces of the panels arecompletely coated with an adhesive as indicated at 14. The outersurfaces 15 of each panel are calendered and smooth so as to be easilyprinted upon.

When the panels 12 and 13 are folded together along the line II, with aflat object such as a coin therebetween as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3,and the panels pressed together, the inner coated surfaces adhere wherethey meet around the coin or other object and hold it in position. Itwill be apparent that other flat objects such as keys, credit cards, orfolded sheets of stamps may be equally well secured between the panels.

One corner 16 of panel 12 of blank 10 is cutaway along a curved orarcuate line so that, when the adjacent corner 17 of panel 13 is foldedalongside, it projects outward of the cutaway corner 16 as plainly seenin FIG. 1.

To reopen the mailer, the projecting portion of corner 17 is pushed awayfrom the cutaway corner 16 exposing a small area of the under or innersurface of the panel adjacent the deformed corner 16 at the center ofthe curve. The portion of the curved comer whose coated under side isfirst exposed lies at the apex of the convex curve and the exposedcoated under surface enlarges on either side along the curve as theprojecting comer tip 17 is further pressed down. The deformed comer 16with its exposed under surface can then be easily grasped for pullingthe panels apart. Were the cutaway corner to be cut along a straightline the exposed corner tip would bend along this straight line withoutexposing the under surface of the cutaway comer. Directions callingattention to the easy opening comer may be printed on the uncoated outersurface of the blank adjacent comer 16 as indicated at 18 in FIG. 1.

Blank 10 is approximately 6% 5% inches, so that, when folded, the mailermeasures 5%X3 5/16 inches. The folded mailer, therefore, is adapted tobe mailed in a 65 3fi inch, or smaller, envelope.

Iclaim:

l. A mailer for flat objects for insertion in an envelope, comprising: acardboardblank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank intotwo similar panel portions substantially rectangular in outline, oneside of the blank being coated with an adhesive having the property ofbonding the panel portions together when the blank is folded along thefoldline and the panel portions are pressed together with a flat objecttherebetween thus holding the object in place, the adhesive also havingthe property of separating again when the panel portions are pulledapart, the other side of the blank being calendered and smooth forreceiving printing, the tip of one comer of the blank being deformed bybeing out along a curved line leaving a convex edge, whereby, when theblank is folded and the panel portions bonded together, the corneralongside the deformed comer projects therefrom and, when pressed down,exposes a small area of the inside surface of the deformed corner underwhich a fingernail may be inserted to expose a larger area which may begrasped to separate the panel portions.

1. A mailer for flat objects for insertion in an envelope, comprising: a cardboard blank having a scored median foldline dividing the blank into two similar panel portions substantially rectangular in outline, one side of the blank being coated with an adhesive having the property of bonding the panel portions together when the blank is folded along the foldline and the panel portions are pressed together with a flat object therebetween thus holding the object in place, the adhesive also having the property of separating again when the panel portions are pulled apart, the other side of the blank being calendered and smooth for receiving printing, the tip of one corner of the blank being deformed by being cut along a curved line leaving a convex edge, whereby, when the blank is folded and the panel portions bonded together, the corner alongside the deformed corner projects therefrom and, when pressed down, exposes a small area of the inside surface of the deformed corner under which a fingernAil may be inserted to expose a larger area which may be grasped to separate the panel portions. 